The Photographer Sescau

The print titled The Photographer Sescau was created by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec French, 1864-1901, in 1896. This significant work, classified as a print, captures the commercial and social vitality of Parisian life during the fin-de-siècle. As a central figure of Post-Impressionism, Lautrec was renowned for utilizing accessible printmaking techniques, particularly lithography, to document the theaters, cabarets, and contemporary figures of Montmartre.

The piece is executed as a complex color lithograph on ivory laid paper, a technical choice that Lautrec mastered for its ability to produce rich, saturated colors and quick, gestural lines suitable for mass reproduction and fine art prints. This particular impression was later laid down on linen for preservation. The subject, Sescau, was a professional photographer, likely known to the artist through bohemian circles in 1890s France. Lautrec’s signature style features flattened forms and dynamic, cropped compositions, reflecting the powerful influence of Japanese ukiyo-e woodblock prints prevalent in Europe at the time. This approach elevates the seemingly simple portrait into a sophisticated artistic statement reflecting the changing social roles and technological advancements of the period.

The production of such works, often intended for wide distribution as commercial or artistic prints, was central to Lautrec's career. While many of the artist’s graphic works are now widely accessible through the public domain, the technical quality and complexity of the original color lithograph technique remain paramount. This example of The Photographer Sescau is permanently housed in the collection of the Art Institute of Chicago, where it serves as a definitive illustration of Lautrec’s innovation in modern graphic arts.